Anybody who owns his or her own aircraft probably has more than enough money to buy happiness, too. That's because flying costs some serious dough. But just how much money is tied up in the world's airplanes?
Think you have it tough at the pump? How much does it cost to gas up a Boeing 747 (in 2009)?
more than $14,000
more than $140,000
more than $1.4 million
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer
Planes in Boeing's 747 family hold 63,705 U.S. gallons (241,140 liters) of fuel. The average cost of jet fuel for 2009 was $68.90 a barrel. As a barrel contains 31 gallons (117 liters), that puts the cost at roughly $141,589.50.
Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich doesn't just own the Chelsea football club. He also owns his very own Boeing 767. How much might one of these set you back?
$1.2 million
$12 million
$120 million
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer
Private Jets Magazine sets the price at more than $120 million. Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin also own a custom 767.
The supersonic Concorde was never a travel option for most flyers, but as the last flight landed in 2003, it's currently a flight option for no one. If you had booked a round-trip ticket from New York to London back in October 2001, how much would it have cost?
$900
$1,900
$9,000
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer
According to Forbes Magazine, that ticket would have set you back nine grand. But hey, that's what happens when you spread exuberant operating costs across a mere 100 passengers.
Let's say you wanted an intercontinental bomber that can also fly undetected through enemy radar. How much might you pay for the Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit (also known as the stealth bomber)?
$57 million
More than $1 billion
More than $5 billion
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer
The U.S. Air Force estimated the cost per unit at roughly $1.157 billion. That's a spicy meatball!
The Hughes H-4 Hercules (also known as the Spruce Goose) was the largest flying boat ever built, and boasted the largest wingspan and height of any aircraft. How much did it cost to build in 1940s dollars?
$2 million
$5 million
$25 million
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer
Notoriously mismanaged, the Spruce Goose project cost an estimated $25 million in 1940s dollars. It only flew once.
Some of the earliest attempts at human flight involved fantastic wingsuits, most of which were tragically lacking in aerodynamics. Today, specially designed wingsuits allow skydivers and base jumpers a chance to glide through the air. How much will a beginner wingsuit cost you?
$300
$600
$900
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer
A beginner wingsuit typically costs around $600. Advanced models can run twice that amount.
On Nov. 24, 1971, the hijacker commonly known as D.B. Cooper parachuted out of a Boeing 727 aircraft. How much money was he packing?
$100,000
$200,000
$300,000
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer
According to the FBI, Cooper parachuted out of a plane clutching a bag filled with $200,000 in stolen cash. His true identity has never been determined.
What? The Earth's atmosphere isn't good enough for you? You'd rather book a flight into space? Fair enough. At what price do tickets aboard the Virgin Galactic spaceline start?
